Hai Phong was originally founded by Lê Chân, the female general of a Vietnamese revolution against the Chinese led by the Trưng Sisters (Hai Bà Trưng) in the year, 43 A.D. It has existed as a significant port city for at least several centuries, and was one of Vietnam's principal trading centers. When Vietnam was invaded by the French, the city became France's main naval base in Indochina. After World War II, when Vietnam attempted to regain its independence, Hai Phong was the site of the first military action undertaken by the French. While it was claimed that the French heavy cruiser Suffren bombarded the city, only 3 avisos participated in the operation that contributed to the start of the First Indochina War.[1]See also: Operation Rolling Thunder, Operation Linebacker , and Operation Linebacker II